Two to three days is enough for the main sights. Spend a morning at the Kofar Mata dye pits and Kurmi Market, climb Dala Hill for the view, and visit the Gidan Makama Museum beside the Emir's palace. Add a day for Sabon Gari Market or for the Durbar if your trip falls during Eid.

The Kano Durbar takes place during the Sallah celebrations of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, so its dates move each year with the Islamic calendar. After dawn prayers the Emir rides out with horsemen and musicians, and groups of riders later charge toward him in salute near the palace gates.

Yes, dyers still work at Kofar Mata in the old city, using natural indigo mixed with ash and potash. The pits date from 1498 and are run by families who have passed the craft down for generations. Not every pit is active today, but visitors can watch the dyeing and buy indigo cloth.